The Anne Arundel County Commission on Disability Issues has chosen Cisco Nochera as the 2015 DisAbility Awareness Day Honoree. Mr. Nochera will be recognized during the 2015 DisAbility Awareness Day activities which begin at 11 a.m. and last until 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24th, at Westfield Annapolis Mall. County Executive Steve Schuh will present this award and other recognition awards at 11 a.m.

“It is quite an honor to have the opportunity to recognize an individual who has devoted his life’s work to educate others, both on disabilities and to those who work with them,” says Joelle Ridgeway, Commission Chairman. “Mr. Nochera has contributed so much to individuals with disabilities and we thank him for his dedication.”

Mr. Nochera has been a special educator in Anne Arundel County for over 34 years. He worked in the public school system as a pre-school teacher for special needs children, and retired in 2008 to open the Cisco Center. As the Executive Director of the Cisco Center, he provides a unique service to preschool age children with special needs in Anne Arundel County. The Cisco Center focuses on developing a child’s individual needs in areas of early childhood academics, speech therapy, oral motor skills, eating/feeding skills, socialization skills, and fine/gross motor skills.

In addition to his work as a special educator, Mr. Nochera was the Director of Camp Greentop for many years. As the director there, he mentored many young emerging professionals. He has taught students with intellectual disabilities in West Virginia, students who were deaf-blind at the Rosewood Institution in Baltimore County, and he has also taught children in pre-k special education class in Baltimore City.

Among his honors, Mr. Nochera was awarded the “People’s First Award” by the ARC of the Central Chesapeake Region in 2009. In 2007, he received the “Hometown Heroes Award” by the Anne Arundel County Chapter of Autism Society of America. In 2004, he was one of five finalists for the Anne Arundel County Public Schools “Teacher of the Year”, among many other distinguished service awards.

The public is invited to attend the free 2015 DisAbility Awareness Day events. Exhibitors who provide services to individuals with disabilities will have free information. Additional awards will be given to employers of people with disabilities as well as to churches and other groups that have made contributions to the disabled community.

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